Refrigerator car



REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed June 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 47, 1941. c. b. BoNsALL l 2,258,404

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed June 9, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 2 'fm/@wah Char/@5D Bamm/ Patented Oct. 7, 1941 REFRIGERATOR CAR charles D. Bonsall. Pittsburgh, rs., assigner to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application June 9, 1939, Serial No. 278,276

` (ci. 10s- 4.04)

10 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport `perishable commodities atV a predetermined temperature; The essential features of` a refrigerator car are an insulated .body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling or heating means depending upon the prevailing outside temperature.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which the cooling means, preferably containers for Water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are

Another object is to provide a structure in which the refrigerant containers function as the compression chord of a truss or girder, which truss or girder is comprised of substantially the` entire car; "The u'nderframe of a car is usually strong and well adapted to function as the tension chord. By bracing the tanks against each other lengthwise of the. car, a very strong structure is formed when used as a compression mem- Ici positioned immediately below `the ceiling of the car; The lading is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communicate between the refrigerant compartment and the space under the floor rack to pro- Vide a path for the circulation of air. The path is from the refrigerant compartment downward'- ly through the aforementioned flues, through the space under the oor rack, and upwardly through the lading compartment to the refrigerant compartment.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate unnecessary weight from the structure of the car by adapting the refrigerant containers to function as side plates or upper chords of the side walls of the car. A further object of the invention is to adapt the containers to also function as carlines. Sideplates are commonly longitudinally extending frame members at the upper edges of the sidewalls and carlines. are usually transversely extendngmernbers used 'to support the roof, refrigerant containers, or other structure disposed near the top of the car.`

Another object of thel invention is to securely lbrace the refrigerant containers against longitudinal movement thereof. The amount of ice carried in the containersmay be as much asseveral tons and the inertia thereofduringservice' movements of thecar requires thattl'ie refrigerant containersbesecurely attached to the car structure.

each container against the container adjacent thereto so that the thrusts thereon which occur due to the mass of the refrigerant` and violent movements of the car are transferred tothe end" ofi the car. The ends of railway cars are commonly made of corrugated steel plate, which plate is wellv adapted to resist the thrusto'fv a large' mass of refrigerant. `A further object is to provide spaces between the tanks* for air circulation.

tion'.

thereby increasing the efficiency of the refrigeratside sills l.

ber. Various members of the side and end walls serve as'the struts or web.

Another object of the invention is to increase the refrigerant capacity or reduce the necessary w car height while retaining the same capacity. I` 15` accomplish this by positioning a portion of each container between verticalv freine members,`

thereby using space heretofore wasted.A This arrangement provides a secure attachment for each l.. tank to the frame members and consequently to 20" the adjacent tank. A

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description. by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. y1 is a transverse section ofr a refrigerator car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 isaplan section of the `car taken on line Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of a portion of Fig. 2.

Figml is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section showing` a modified form of my invention taken on line 5,-5 of `Therrefrigerator.V car shownin the drawings embodies insulated walls 2, roof 3, and oor 4. The floor 4 is preferably supported by a plurality of spaced apart transverselyextending beams 6 which are secured at the ends thereof to the outer Each wall 2 preferably comprises outer posts 9= and outer sheathing I0 secured at the lower parts thereof to the outer side sill l and at the upper parts thereof to the outer side plate l2. The wall 2 also includes' inner posts I-5` and inner sheets' I6 which arev secured to the inner side sill I1, the sill I1 being secured to and insulated from the floorY beamsv 6. The sheets IB are formed with panels I9 projecting away from the interior of the car, which panels I 9 are positioned between the' A inner posts'tl. A lining 20 2 i i isV provided t'oform the lues 2l between the panels I9 and lining 20.

In the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 3,

Vthe refrigerant containers extend between the tending between the vertical angles 21 and pref- 'l f erably being secured thereto. tending angles are secured to the lower trans' verse edges of the container -25 :and offse'toute Transversely ex- Wardly and downwardly at the' endsthereof'to overlap the angles 21 and 28, the overlapping ends preferably being securedA together.

,"Ihe vertical corner angles V2'! are 'secured' preferably by the rivets to the inner`A posts l5 adjacent the ends of the containers 25 and the posts l5intermediate the ends ofthe containers 25 `are secured to the longitudinally extending angles 23. A"The containers 25 thus connect the u.lODer Vends of the posts I5 to form the upper chord or side plate of the inner `wall 'structure'.- The containers 25 also join the opposite walls A2 of the car, thereby functioning as carlines. The tops 36 of the containers 25 maybe used to (supe port the roof insulation'l.

A drip pan or partition 40fis spaced below the container 25 to provide a space4l therebetween and also spaced from one of the walls 2 to form an air inlet 'opening 42. Air in the space 4i, being cooled bycontact with the cold bottom 44 of the container 25, falls by reason of itsgreater density through the flue 2| to the space 4 6 under the kfloor rack 4T from where it permeates upwardly to the lading compartment 48. Upon being warmedby lcontact with the lading, the air flows through the opening 42 tothe space 4l andthe cycleis repeated.

In ythe modification shown in Fig. 4, the longitudinally extending angles project beyond the end walls of the containers 25. The'ends of the angles 55 of adjacent containers are in vcontact and `are secured tothe inner posts I5. The

, inertia thrust of the-refrigerant is-carried partly through the rivets 56Vto the-inner-postsfl5 and partly through adjacent containers to the end of the car. As-clearly-sho'wn inA Fig. 3,' the projecting legs 5lof the angles 21 are incontact for the purpose of transferring thrusts to the end of `the car. rIt is to be-understoodvthat the construction ofa structure as shown may be diicult because of the accurate manufacturing required. It is intended, however, thatysubstantially the same result could be obtained-by insertingshirns between certain members of, adjacent containers to provide, theacontact-between the'containers which I claimas a part of my invention; v

In the modificationshown in Figs. 5 to?, there is a4 row of refrigerant containers 65 positioned adjacenteachside wall 2 andjspaced apart at the centerto form the duct 65. Air4 fromthe lading compartment 48 flows upwardly through the duct 66 to the spaces 6l below the 4containers S5 in `which spacesit is cooled. It thenl flows through the flues .12| and space 4t` as has been4 heretofore described. The inner sides E9 ofthe containers t5 are preferably suspended from lthe roof structure `3 by means of theinverted il shapd'm'ember'. f n

. Thelinne postsi seeehr empirer@ wie;

10, spaced apart flanges ll provided with reflanges l2. The containers are positioned so that the corners 'I4 thereof nest in the pockets formed by the anges 1| and reflanges I2 of the posts l5. The containers 65 may be secured to the posts l5 by any convenient means. The sheets 16 have panels 11 pressed therein as 4has been heretofore described. The sheets 'I6 are preferablysecured to the lower part of the container 65, such as by lapping the portions 19 associated with the panels 11 and butting the angular portions 8i). The portions 8l between the containers may be secured to the posts l5 to form a water-tight seal so that condensation from the containers 65 or other moisture ows downwardly 'through the flues 2| and not into the insulation.

y It be readily seen that the structures herein shown and described are well adapted to' transfer thrusts from one container to the adjacent container and nally to the end wall of the car.' 'This arrangement-is duepartlyto the necessity of providing a structure sufficiently strong to'resist the inertia thrusts of the refrigerant. Another object ofthe arrangement is as follows;` i Y Y Y l Theload in a railway car rests upon the floor. VCars are commonly designed so that the floor, which includes-the underfr'ame of the carfcarries'the major portion of the load. The remainderof the'load is carried by the two side wallsof the car functioning as girders or'trusses, accord'- ing to the type of side. I claim as `an improvementV in refrigerator cars the bracing of overhead refrigerant containersV against each other tol enable themto cooperatev to resist compression loads and thereby function asv the compression chord of a truss or girder in which the oor 'structure is the tension chord and the'side andl end walls compriserthe struts or web. The fact that a railway carhas considerable height pro-.-

vides a relatively large distance between the tension and compression chords, thereby forming a strong and light truss or girder.

Y Ihe accompanying drawings illustrate thepref erred yform of thepinvention, though it is to be understood' that the invention is not limited "tc below the' roof and extending between said walls to` form a` roof supporting' 4hairline said walls having load supporting' posts disposed adjacent the interiorof the car, the upper'ends of said posts being ASecured to said" container so that said container vforms upperch'o'rds of saidwall.

2.. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls., and aroof, .a row of refrigerant containers below the roof and adjacent one.r of l`said walls,v said Wall having loadsupportinglposts disposed adjacent the interior of the .car, the Yends of said containers being secured to the upper ends `of said posts with theadjacent ends of adjacent containers being securedV to a com mon post so that said containers form .an upper chordof said'wallju l i 3.'In` a Vrefrigerator 4fcar having spaced.: apart side walls and aV roof, a row-of'irefrigerant'conf tainers belowfthelroofV and adjacent one of said walls' said vwall having loadsupporting posts dlsposed adjacentthe interiorof the carQtlie;y

adjacent ends of each pair of containers being secured to the upper end of one of said posts,` others of said posts being secured to said containers intermediate the ends thereof so that said containers form an upper chord of said wall.

4. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof, a row of refrigerant containers below the roof and adjacent one of said walls, said wall having load supporting posts disposed adjacent the interior of the car, the upper ends of said posts being secured to said containers so that said containers form an upper chord of said wall, said containers having longitudinally extending frame members which extend beyond the ends thereof and are substantially in contact with members of adjacent containers.

5. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof, a row of refrigerant containers below the roof and adjacent one of said walls, said Wall having load supporting posts disposed adjacent the interior of the car, the upper ends of said posts being secured to said containers so that said containers form an upper chord of said wall, said containers having portions which extend beyond the ends thereof and are substantially in contact with portions of adjacent containers.

6. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof, a row of refrigerant containers below the roof and adjacent one of said walls, said wall having load supporting posts disposed adjacent the interior of the car, the upper ends of said posts being secured to said containers so that said containers form an upper chord of said wall, said containers having longitudinally extending frame members which extend beyond the ends thereof and are substantially in `contact with members of adjacent containers, the ends of adjacent containers being spaced apart for air flow therebetween.

7. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart side walls and a roof, a row of refrigerant containers below the roof and adjacent one of said walls, said wall having load supporting posts disposed adjacent the interior of the car, the upper ends of said posts being secured to said containers so that said containers form an upper chord of said wall, some of said posts having portions disposed between the ends of adjacent containers and substantially in contact therewith.

8. In a refrigerator car having a lading compartment and a sill associated with the lower part of the car, the combination of spaced apart posts upstanding from said sill, lining carried by said posts to form a wall of said lading compartment, and refrigerating means above the lading compartment comprising an inherently rigid refrigerant container secured directly to the upper parts of said posts and arranged to form by itself a structural connection between said posts.

9. In a refrigerator car having a roof, a 1ongitudinally extending row of refrigerant containers arranged below said roof, said containers having end walls disposed in a plurality of substantially parallel planes extending transversely of the car, the adjacent end walls of each pair of containers being spaced apart to provide a space for air circulation in contact with the containers, and means disposed at least partially in said space and arranged to cooperate with said last mentioned end Walls to transmit a longitudinal thrust from one to another of said containers.

10. In a refrigerator car .having a roof and a wall including substantially vertical posts, a longitudinally extending row of refrigerant containers arranged below said roof, said containers having end walls disposed in a plurality of substantially parallel planes extending transversely of the` car, the adjacent end walls of each pair of containers being spaced apart to provide a space for air circulation in contact with the containers, and means carried by said posts disposed at least partially in said space and arranged to cooperate with said last mentioned end walls to transmit a longitudinal thrust from one to another of said containers.

CHARLES D. BONSALL. 

